Lin Fan's Protection

Tong Tian's cold snort, imbued with supreme sword intent, swept through the entire intensive care unit like an invisible storm. Time seemed to freeze at that moment. The piercing alarm abruptly stopped, the flashing red lights extinguished, and the garbled data on all the precision instrument screens instantly stabilized, returning to steady and regular waveforms, even smoother and more powerful than before!

You could hear a pin drop in the hallway.

Ms. Wang forgot to cry. She stared blankly at the door of the ICU, then at Lin Fan, who stood ramrod straight beside her with a stern expression. Her mind went completely blank.

The doctors and nurses froze in place, their faces filled with confusion and disbelief. They couldn't comprehend what the momentary equipment malfunction and the subsequent, almost miraculous recovery meant.

Dr. Chen Jing and Dr. Su Qing, who were observing from the shadows, had their expressions change dramatically. Chen Jing subconsciously pressed the miniature communicator in her ear, and the panicked voice of a technician from the monitoring vehicle came through: "Team leader! Just now... just now we detected an unanalyzable, ultra-high-intensity burst of mental energy! The source... the source was Target Two (Tong Tian)! The energy level... far exceeded the instrument's limit! All detectors were overloaded instantly! This... this is not a power a human can possess!"

Dr. Su Qing tightly gripped her notebook, her knuckles turning white. She looked in the direction of the ICU, her eyes filled with shock and an almost fanatical thirst for knowledge. This power, which directly affected reality, interfered with electronic equipment, and could even reverse a person's life state, had completely overturned her understanding of psychology and human potential!

The instigator of all this – Master Tongtian – after letting out that cold snort and forcibly dispersing the residual Dao rhythm ripples that Nüwa's uncontrolled power had leaked and interfered with the rules of the mortal world, paid no further attention to the outside commotion. He didn't even glance inside the ICU. He simply closed his eyes again, as if he had just done something trivial. Only the slight paleness of his face indicated that this seemingly effortless intervention had not been without a cost to his unrecovered essence.

The silence lasted for about ten seconds.

"Beep... beep... beep..."

Inside the ICU, the instrument sound representing a heartbeat rang out, steady and strong, breaking the deathly silence.

Immediately after, a nurse who was closest reacted first, letting out an incredulous cry: "The patient... the patient's vital signs... are recovering! Blood oxygen saturation is rising! Heart rate is stabilizing! Oh my god! How... how is this possible?!"

This cry seemed to break a spell. The doctors at the door rushed to the ICU entrance, peering inside through the glass. They saw the frail little girl on the hospital bed, her previously ashen complexion now regaining a faint blush. Her tightly furrowed brow had relaxed, and her breathing had become steady and long, as if she had merely fallen asleep, not struggled on the brink of death!

"A miracle... this is simply a medical miracle!" The attending physician's voice trembled with emotion as he looked at the indicators on the instruments, which were returning to normal, even surpassing their previous levels. He couldn't explain what was happening before his eyes with any existing scientific theory.

Hearing this, Ms. Wang trembled all over and rushed to the ICU door. Seeing her daughter's peaceful sleeping face inside, tears surged out again, but this time, they were tears of joy and hope! She turned around to Lin Fan and was about to kneel: "Thank you! Thank you, Master! Thank you for saving my daughter!"

Lin Fan reacted quickly, supporting her: "Ms. Wang, please don't! It's good that the child is okay!" He was also filled with shock and lingering fear. In that moment, he had truly felt the terrifying power of Goddess Nüwa and the risk of it going out of control, and he had also gained a deeper understanding of Senior Tong Tian's unfathomable strength and... his reliability at critical moments.

His gaze turned to the ICU, filled with worry. How was Goddess Nüwa?

Just then, the ICU door was gently pushed open from the inside. Nüwa's figure appeared at the doorway. Her face was even paler than before, and her body swayed slightly. Her brow was etched with deep fatigue, as if she had just emerged from a great battle. However, her clear eyes held a hint of relief and gentleness.

"Goddess!" Lin Fan quickly stepped forward, instinctively reaching out to support her.

Nüwa waved her hand slightly, indicating she was fine. She looked at the overjoyed Ms. Wang, her voice weak but still calm: "Your daughter... is temporarily out of danger. I have used her own life force as a seed, nurtured by the Dao rhythm of creation, to mend some of her inherent deficiencies and stimulate her own potential. Moving forward... she needs to be well cared for. Her lifespan should be extended, and her constitution will also improve."

Her words, like the most authoritative pronouncement, made Ms. Wang weep with joy and repeatedly express her gratitude.

Nüwa nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over the stunned doctors and nurses, then to Chen Jing and Su Qing with their shifting expressions in the distance, and finally landing on Lin Fan. She said softly: "This matter is concluded. Let us... go back."

She needed to immediately recuperate and restore her greatly depleted spirit and Dao rhythm.

"Okay, let's go back." Lin Fan nodded without hesitation and stepped forward to carefully support Nüwa, feeling her physical weakness.

He ignored the various gazes around them and, supporting Nüwa, walked towards the exit of the hallway. Tong Tian also followed silently. As they passed, people instinctively parted, their gazes filled with reverence, curiosity, and a hint of indescribable fear.

Chen Jing watched the three of them leave, her lips moving. In the end, she did not step forward to stop them. She knew that what had happened today was completely beyond her control. That man named Tong Tian possessed terrifying abilities that could instantly paralyze electronic equipment and directly affect life states! And that woman named Nüwa seemed to possess miraculous power to heal modern medicine's incurable diseases! The danger level and importance of these two individuals must be re-evaluated immediately!

She pressed her communicator and said in a deep voice: "The targets have left the hospital. Initiate the highest level tracking protocol. Deploy all resources to analyze the nature and scope of the energy burst from Target Two (Tong Tian)! Simultaneously, closely monitor Target Three (Nüwa)'s condition and her subsequent impact on the child! I need the most detailed assessment report!"

"Yes!"

On the way back to the rental apartment, the atmosphere was somewhat somber. Lin Fan was driving (in a used car bought with previous stock profits), looking through the rearview mirror at Nüwa, who was meditating with her eyes closed in the back seat, and Tong Tian, who had a blank expression. His heart was filled with mixed emotions.

What happened today was like a sudden storm. He had personally witnessed Goddess Nüwa's compassionate heart and the miracle of her creation power, and he had also seen Senior Tong Tian's overwhelmingly dominant and awe-inspiring strength. This strengthened his resolve to follow them, but he also felt the increasing pressure that came with it.

The authorities were watching, civilian forces were probing, and now, with the "miracle" effect caused by saving the patient... their small "Shelter" had become the eye of the storm.

He safely escorted Nüwa and Tong Tian back to the rental apartment. Nüwa immediately returned to her corner, sat down cross-legged, and entered a deep meditative state. A very faint, life-filled Dao rhythm began to flow around her, absorbing the sparse energy in the air (perhaps also the mysterious Innate Qi) to recover. The "Breathing Soil" statue on the windowsill seemed to resonate with her, emitting a more concentrated aura of peace that enveloped her.

Tong Tian returned to his yoga mat, seemingly meditating, but Lin Fan could feel that most of his attention was focused on guarding their surroundings. After the scene at the hospital, he clearly realized that this world had more "trouble" than he had anticipated and needed to be more vigilant.

Lin Fan didn't disturb them. He quietly tidied up the room, then sat on his own bed and began practicing the Supreme Clarity Heart-Cleansing Mantra. He needed strength, he needed to improve himself as quickly as possible. He couldn't just stand by and watch helplessly like he did today, unable to help. He yearned to have the power to protect, to protect these two Sages who had changed his destiny, and to protect the hard-won peace of this "home."

In the following days, the rental apartment seemed to return to its initial tranquility, but beneath this peace, stronger undercurrents were surging.

Nüwa remained in a deep state of recovery, barely moving. The life-giving Dao rhythm emanating from her body fluctuated, seemingly constantly adjusting and adapting. The clay figurines and sketches she had personally made seemed to be establishing a mysterious connection with her during this process, her Dao rhythm becoming more restrained and profound.

Tong Tian, apart from necessary meditation and vigilance, spent most of his time in front of the computer, browsing information at an accelerated pace and over a wider range, especially concerning energy physics, human potential, and even some classified supernatural event archives (with his abilities, breaking through ordinary network firewalls to obtain information was not difficult). He was learning, analyzing, and trying to understand the rules and potential threats of this world more deeply.

Lin Fan practiced even more diligently. With the aid of the "Breathing Soil" and the peaceful environment formed by the numerous statues, his progress noticeably accelerated. Although he still couldn't actively draw upon the Innate Qi, his time in stillness grew longer, his mind became clearer, and his control over his own spirit became more refined. He even began to attempt, while in stillness, to actively sense and touch the "sword intent seed" that Tong Tian had planted in his mind. That seed was cold, sharp, and filled with an aura of destruction. With his current mental strength, each attempt felt like touching a red-hot iron with bare hands, causing intense stinging pain, but he gritted his teeth and persevered. He understood that to possess the power to protect, he had to endure pain and trials unimaginable to ordinary people.

During this time, Ms. Wang called a few times, her voice filled with gratitude. She said her daughter had passed the danger period and had been transferred to a regular ward. All her vital signs were steadily improving, and even the attending physician repeatedly marveled, calling it a medical miracle. Lin Fan was happy for her, but he also tactfully reminded her not to publicize Goddess Nüwa's affairs too much, to avoid unnecessary trouble. Ms. Wang naturally agreed wholeheartedly.

Zhou Wenyuan also sent a few text messages, his tone more respectful than before. He no longer mentioned buying the statues, only inquired about Master Nüwa's well-being and stated that if there was anything they needed, they should not hesitate to ask. Lin Fan replied politely.

There was no movement from Chen Jing's side, but Lin Fan knew this was merely the calm before the storm. The surveillance from outside the window had increased, becoming even more covert and technological.

However, the biggest change came from the mysterious old man.

On the third day after Nüwa saved the child, Lin Fan, as usual, went to the hotel to bring the old man some food and living expenses. When he knocked on the door, the same bewildered old man opened it. But this time, Lin Fan keenly noticed that the old man's eyes seemed to have... a faint, almost imperceptible focus?

As Lin Fan placed the food on the table and habitually prepared to leave, the old man suddenly spoke. His voice was still hoarse, but it seemed a little clearer than before:

"That... that power... creation... life force..."

Lin Fan stopped abruptly, turned around, and looked at the old man in shock: "Old man, what... what are you saying?"

The old man didn't look at Lin Fan. His gaze seemed to penetrate the wall, looking in the direction of the rental apartment. A complex emotion flashed in his cloudy eyes: confusion, reminiscence, and a hint of... excitement?

"Familiar... yet... strange..." the old man whispered intermittently, "The aura of the Primordial Era... but... it's different... Who is it..."

Primordial Era! He mentioned the Primordial Era again!

Lin Fan's heart pounded wildly! This old man was indeed connected to the Primordial Era! And he had sensed the Dao rhythm of creation and life force that Goddess Nüwa had exuded when saving the child!

"Old man, what did you remember? Do you know about the Primordial Era?" Lin Fan asked urgently.

The old man, however, seemed not to hear Lin Fan's words. He remained lost in his own world, muttering, "Protect... need... protect... where is the key..."

His words were jumbled, but the words "protect" and "key" stirred something in Lin Fan's heart. Protect what? And what did the key refer to? Could it be those three broken artifacts of his?

Lin Fan tried to guide him, "Old man, is the key you're talking about those three things of yours? What are they used for?"

Upon hearing this, the old man's body trembled slightly. He suddenly turned his head, focusing his gaze on Lin Fan's face for the first time! Although his eyes were still filled with confusion, there was a sharpness and scrutiny in them that Lin Fan had never seen before!

He stared at Lin Fan for a long time, as if trying to see through him completely. Then, slowly, with great difficulty, he shook his head, his voice low and hoarse:

"No... not them... it's... a person..."

A person?!

Lin Fan was stunned. The key... was a person? What did that mean?

He wanted to ask more, but the old man had already lowered his head again, returning to his dazed state. No matter how much Lin Fan questioned him, he only shook his head and refused to speak further.

Lin Fan left the inn with a mind full of questions and even greater shock. The old man's unusual behavior today was undoubtedly related to Goddess Nüwa using her power of creation. This proved that the old man possessed an extraordinary sensitivity to powers at the Primordial Era level! And what secrets were hidden in his words about "protecting" and "the key is a person"?

Back at his rented room, Lin Fan told Tong Tian about the old man's strange reaction.

Tong Tian listened, then fell silent for a moment, a flicker of understanding in his eyes. "As expected. This old man is by no means an ordinary remnant. His obsession is deeply ingrained, his memories sealed, all because the thing or person he 'protects' is of utmost importance. Junior Sister Nüwa's Dao rhythm of creation contains the primordial aura of the Primordial Era, which has touched his deepest spiritual senses. 'The key is a person'… Hmph, it seems the waters in this world are deeper than we anticipated. Perhaps, it involves some... ancient schemes."

Schemes? Lin Fan's heart grew cold. Could their being stranded in this world not be entirely an accident?

"What should we do now?" Lin Fan asked.

"Observe and improve ourselves," Tong Tian said concisely. "When Junior Sister recovers, we might be able to try using her Dao rhythm of creation to slowly probe, to see if we can help him unlock some of the seals. Until then, protecting him is also protecting the potential 'key'."

Lin Fan nodded solemnly. He understood that the old man's importance might far exceed his imagination.

He looked at Nüwa, who was still in deep meditation recovering, then at Tong Tian, whose aura grew increasingly profound and cold. He then felt the faint but growing spiritual power within himself and the tenacious seed of sword intent, and a sense of responsibility he had never felt before surged within him.

This "home" needed him to protect it. Not just its physical safety, but also this hard-won peace and balance.

He sat down cross-legged, immersing himself once more in the cultivation of the Supreme Clarity Heart-Cleansing Mantra, his mind more resolute than ever.

However, he was unaware that while he was diligently cultivating, a more hidden and dangerous conspiracy, targeting them, or rather, primarily Nüwa's "resurrection" ability, was quietly unfolding in the darkness. The "miracle" in the hospital had already touched some ancient and greedy nerves that lay hidden beneath the mundane world, pursuing longevity and power.

Lin Fan's path of protection was destined to be fraught with thorns.